If there is one thing both Spring-Ford and Pennridge learned in last week’s District 1-Class AAAA quarterfinals, it was how no lead is a safe lead and how to, well, hang on.

Spring-Ford had a 28-0 halftime lead, then withstood a Ridley air attack for a 28-26 win — which wasn’t secured until Zameer McDowell dropped Ridley’s quarterback one yard short of the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt with 2:46 remaining. Pennridge had a 28-7 lead late in the third quarter, then withstood a very impressive Pennsbury rally for a 28-27 win — not secured until Pennsbury’s final point-after attempt hit the upright with 1:47 remaining.

Eerie similarities, for sure.

Big leads.

Big leads nearly blown.

A two-point win, a one-point win.

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And both teams are coming off their traditional Thanksgiving games — Spring-Ford against Phoenixville (played Wednesday night), and Pennridge against Quakertown (played Thursday morning).

On top of all that, they’re both the Rams.

So, dare we say it? Sure, why not.

This afternoon’s district semifinal could be (and probably will be) a “Battle of the Battering Rams.”

But the similarities don’t necessarily end with what happened last week.

Spring-Ford has a couple of backs, namely Jarred Jones and Yousef Lundi, who love to run anywhere their line leads them. Pennridge has one particular back, Mike Class, who loves to run anywhere his line leads him.

All three scat, scoot and sprint rather well, too.

Jones, who missed six midseason games but has been back for the last three, has 838 yards and an area-high 8.8 yards per pop average. Lundi, who was the workhorse in Jones’ absence but has since returned to his normal fullback spot, has 959 yards and a team-high 14 touchdowns. Class, meanwhile, is absolutely in a class of his own, bettering the combined Jones-Yousef numbers with 2,359 yards, an 8.6-yard per carry average, and 31 touchdowns — and that’s despite not carrying the ball one single time Thursday against Quakertown when he sat out with a reported concussion.

Spring-Ford has a very good quarterback in Hank Coyne, as does Pennridge in Alex Krivda.

Both throw the football very well, and quite accurately.

Coyne has completed 54.1 percent of his attempts for 1,687 yards and 22 touchdowns, and has three very good receivers in Tate Carter, Mike Hopkins and R.J. Sheldon. Krivda has completed 53.6 percent of his attempts for 1,076 yards and 13 touchdowns, and has two very good receivers in Kyle Bigham and Micah Stutzman.

Add all of those numbers up, along with their respective unsung teammates’ contributions, and you get Spring-Ford — without the non-varsity starter’s production Wednesday night — averaging 356 yards and 36.8 points a game, and Pennridge averaging 391 yards and 33.2 points a game after capturing the Suburban One Continental Conference championship with the 28-13 win Thursday morning at Quakertown.

“I’ve seen both (teams),” a Suburban One Conference assistant coach said off the record earlier this week. “They are very similar on offense. Spring-Ford may be a little more balanced with the run and pass, but Pennridge has Class, he’s a game-changer, and Krivda is a darn good quarterback, too.”

So what gives, or what will give?

Well, no postseason game, in any sport when you come to think of it, is ever won without defense.

Needless to say, the teams’ similarities run the gamut on the other side of the ball, too.

Spring-Ford has some size up front, gets to the football pretty well, and had limited opponents to 17 points a game prior to the Phoenixville mismatch. Pennridge has some size up front, gets to the football pretty well, and has limited opponents to 19.3 points a game.

Sure looks like an even-up, or quite intriguing, game — according to the math, or at least on paper.